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US 9,670,660 B1Granted
Leaching unit having pillars and canopy
AssigneeInfiltrator Water Technologies, LLC
InventorsRoy E. Moore, Jr., Paul R. Holbrook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plastic leaching unit for receiving water when buried in trenches in soil comprises a plurality of pillars interconnected by struts. A canopy made of sheet material is attached to the tops of the pillars. Preferably, the canopy is perforated and is overlaid with geotextile. The pillars are arranged as spaced apart integral assemblies to enable lateral and vertical bending of the leaching unit, for conforming to a not-straight trench. Leaching units may be stacked one upon the other within a trench.
Claims19
A leaching unit, for receiving and dispersing water and other liquids when buried within soil or other granular medium, the unit having a length, a first lengthwise end, an opposing second lengthwise end, a width, and a height, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of pillar assemblies, each spaced apart from the other along the length of the leaching unit by a pillar assembly space, each pillar assembly comprised of
- a multiplicity of spaced apart pillars, each pillar having a length, an upper lengthwise end shaped for mating with a canopy made of sheet material, a lower lengthwise end shaped for soil-bearing contact, and a middle portion running between the upper end and the lower end;
- a multiplicity of struts, interconnecting the pillars, each strut having a length extending laterally with respect to the length direction of a pillar, each strut having a width dimension which extends in the same direction as does the length of a pillar;
- wherein each pillar is connected to another pillar within the pillar assembly by at least two of said struts;
- wherein each pillar assembly space is free of struts that interconnect pillars;
- and,
- (b) a canopy, comprised of sheet material, for carrying weight of soil placed on top of the leaching unit during use, attached to said upper lengthwise ends of a multiplicity of said pillars within each pillar assembly and substantially lying in a plane which runs transverse to the lengths of said pillars and along said length of the leaching unit, the canopy made of sheet material optionally having dimples, corrugations or other strengthening features, and the canopy having a length, a width, a top surface and an associated top surface area;
- wherein the leaching unit is bendable lengthwise in a direction which is parallel to the plane of the canopy at the location of each said pillar assembly space.
5 more elements
A method for receiving and dispersing or collecting water and other liquids within soil or other granular medium, which comprises
- (a) providing a multiplicity of leaching units, each leaching unit having a length, a first lengthwise end, an opposing second lengthwise end, a width, and height, comprising:
- (i) a plurality of pillar assemblies, each spaced apart from the other along the length of the leaching unit by a pillar assembly space, each pillar assembly comprised of
- a multiplicity of spaced apart pillars, each pillar having a length, an upper end shaped for mating with a canopy made of sheet, a lower end shaped for soil-bearing contact, and a middle portion running between the upper end and the lower end;
- a multiplicity of struts, interconnecting the pillars, each strut having a length extending laterally with respect to the length direction of a pillar, each strut having a width dimension which extends in the same direction as does the length of a pillar;
- wherein each pillar is connected to another pillar by at least two of said struts and wherein there are spaces amongst the pillar assemblies and struts for holding water;
- wherein each pillar assembly space is free of struts that interconnect pillars;
- and,
- (ii) a canopy, for carrying weight of soil placed on top of the leaching unit during use, attached to said pillar upper ends of a multiplicity of said pillars within each said pillar assembly and substantially lying in a plane which runs transverse to the lengths of said pillars and along the said length of the leaching unit, the canopy made of sheet material optionally having dimples, corrugations or other strengthening features, and the canopy having a length, a width, a top surface and an associated top surface area:
- wherein the leaching unit is bendable lengthwise in a direction which is parallel to the plane of the canopy at the location of each said pillar assembly space;
- (b) forming a trench in soil, the trench having a length and a generally flat bottom;
- (c) placing each leaching unit in the trench so it rests on the generally flat bottom and is in water flow communication with an adjacent leaching unit;
- (d) placing a water flow pipe at the end of at least one leaching unit or across at least a portion of the canopy of one or more leaching units, for conveying water to or from the multiplicity of leaching units;
- (d) placing soil on top of the leaching units to fill the trench;
- and,
- (e) either (i) flowing water from a water source through the water flow pipe so the water runs into said spaces amongst the pillar assemblies and struts, to then percolate into said soil of other granular medium, or (ii) draining through the water flow pipe water within the soil that percolates into said spaces amongst the pillar assemblies and struts.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.